Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Penguin Menace

I was perusing the list of the Top Ten Challenged Books of 2010 compiled by the American Library Association and saw that the book that topped the list for 2010 and has made the list every year since 2006 is entitled And Tango Makes Three. "Ok," I thought, "It's another one of those coming of age books that has a hot and steamy ménage à trois that likely upsets some of the folks back home."

But no. It's about two penguins in a zoo, both male, who take a shine to each other and try to hatch a stone. The zookeepers take pity on them and give them an egg to hatch. Tango results. So yeah, I get the subtle message.* So what? For me it's still a cute story of a couple of silly penguins. But for some it's even worse than Dick and Jane and Jill getting jiggy wid it. We've got your back door homosexual indoctrination going on. (And you needn't excuse the pun.)

If someone has problems with homosexuality don't censor the book. Use this as a learning moment. Get a copy and sit down with your kids and READ it to them. You could take my point of view and say, "Isn't that silly!" At worse it would result in the kids running around thinking gays are silly. Or you could read the book to your kids and if little Betty Sue asks, "Why did two boy penguin want to be a Mommy and a Daddy?" you could respond, "Because they're penguins, dear, and they don't know any better."

*I find the direct approach, that while still silly, much more entertaining. Enjoy.